The III All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with international participation "State, problems and ways to improve sports and health training in aquatic sports" started at the Volga Region University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism today. 
The scientific event is held within the framework of the Decade of Science and Technology in the Russian Federation, the Year of Scientific and Technological Development in the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as timed to the 50th anniversary of the university.

This year more than 80 scientific papers from 20 cities of Russia and 7 foreign cities: Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Astana (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Batna (Algeria), Minsk (Belarus), Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and Taichung (Taiwan) were sent to the conference.

Ildar Sadriev, Deputy Minister of Sport of Tatarstan, opened the event and welcomed the conference participants. He noted that for many years Povolzhsky University has been a leading sports higher education institution that trains highly qualified specialists in the field of physical culture, sports and tourism.

"Swimming is one of the key sports in Tatarstan. This was fuelled by the fact that in 2015 Kazan hosted the FINA World Aquatics Championships for the first time in Russia. The leadership of the Republic of Tatarstan pays great attention to sports infrastructure. Over the past decade, a large number of sports facilities have been built. We are very proud that practically every district and city of Tatarstan has swimming pools (currently there are 293 swimming pools, of which 15 are 50-metre swimming pools and 162 are 25-metre swimming pools).

Swimming is one of the most popular sports.  We are leaders - we are among the top three in Russia. Systematic work gives certain results. About 60 thousand people in the Republic of Tatarstan are systematically engaged in swimming. A lot of work is being done to train the sports reserve. 47 swimming departments have been opened in sports schools of the Republic, where more than 8 thousand children and youth are engaged in swimming.

We can talk a lot about the results of our athletes. But the leading ones are students or graduates of our Volga Region University," said the Deputy Minister.

Welcoming the participants, First Vice-Rector of Volga Region University, Doctor of Economics, Professor Azat Sharapov stressed that the conference was organised jointly with the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Culture and Sports and the Belarusian State University of Physical Culture.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

"It is gratifying that this conference is becoming a kind of tradition and from year to year attracts more and more specialists in the field of sports reserve training, hydrorehabilitation, Paralympic swimming, health-improving technologies, training of coaching and refereeing staff, as well as student sports. This is due not only to the urgent need for specialists to exchange scientific knowledge and practical experience, but also to the need for targeted work to improve the level of scientific and methodological support for the development of aquatic sports. For this purpose, Kazan, as one of the leading aquatics centres, can be a modern platform with all the necessary conditions for both interregional and international development and cooperation," said Azat Sharapov.

Addressing the participants of the event, Rafail Novruzov, Vice-Rector for Education of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Culture and Sport, expressed his hope for further mutual co-operation in scientific direction.

Tatyana Morozevich-Shilyuk, Vice-Rector for Science of the Belarusian State University of Physical Culture Tatyana Morozevich-Shilyuk also spoke about successful co-operation with the sports university of Tatarstan.

"Kazan has a world fame in training athletes and holding competitions in aquatic sports. We are grateful to the Volga Region State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism for the trust to become a member of the conference organising committee. Today you have gathered leading specialists inspired by a common idea and common goals to exchange accumulated experience.

We have established long-standing, friendly, fruitful relations.  We are glad that this is not the first conference we have organised together. We are very happy that we were able to open a joint research laboratory in 2024. I hope that this laboratory will become the basis for carrying out joint research projects. Thank you for your co-operation," said the representative of the Belarusian State University of Physical Culture.

С обращением к участникам конференции также обратились  ректор Туркменского государственного института физической культуры и спорта Хыдыр Нуннаев, президент Всероссийской федерации плавания Владимир Сальников, вице-президент Российской федерации прыжков в воду Нэлли Филиппова, вице-президент Федерации синхронного плавания Росси Никита Белоусов, российский пловец, серебряный призёр Олимпийских игр Денис Пиманков.

Стоит отметить, что конференция организована накануне соревнований по плаванию — в ближайшие два дня в Казани, на одном из объектов Поволжского университета — в бассейне «Буревестник» будут проходить ежегодные Всероссийские соревнования «Кубок ректора Поволжского университета».

Rector of the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports Khydyr Nunnaev, President of the All-Russian Swimming Federation Vladimir Salnikov, Vice-President of the Russian Diving Federation Nelly Filippova, Vice-President of the Russian Synchronised Swimming Federation Nikita Belousov, Russian swimmer, Olympic silver medallist Denis Pimankov also addressed the conference participants.

It is worth noting that the conference was organised on the eve of the swimming competition - in the next two days, the annual All-Russian competition "Rector's Cup of Volga University" will be held in Kazan, at one of the facilities of Povolzhsky University - in the "Burevestnik" swimming pool.